Christie Crime Digest-Volume IV

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132. Prosecution Rebuttal Arguments -- Predictions, anyone?

NewsHerald.com: In rebuttal, Assistant U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna said the case wasn't about who could have been charged or...been called to testify. (The defense) "...wants to distract you from the core of the case. Why? Because the evidence against (the defendants) is devastating."

Khanna...(added) that Baroni changed his story about the traffic jams at least three times, including in front of a legislative committee probing the closures in 2013. He said emails and texts among the three co-conspirators corroborated Wildstein, including a text Kelly sent him during the week of the gridlock that read, "Is it wrong that I am smiling?"

..."Don't let them whitewash it," Khanna said. "It's as outrageous as it sounds."

Observer.com: ...(Prosecutors) painted Kelly...as a willing participant in the culture of Christie’s office...“She makes you… think that she is a victim of the governor’s office,” attorney Vikas Khanna said, citing Kelly’s acknowledgement of the fact that she willingly ignored Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s 2013 requests for meetings...“She has embraced the punitive nature of the governor’s office.”

According to Khanna, Wildstein has nothing to gain from lying about Kelly and Baroni’s involvement (and that he) has no motivation to “rack up" convictions...(Had) Wildstein had that incentive, he likely would have filled in gaps in his recollection with evidence incriminating higher-level figures mentioned in the trial like Governor Christie...

Khanna reminded jurors of the close personal relationship Baroni and Wildstein shared and said it “makes no sense” that Baroni wouldn’t know about the lane closures when Wildstein entrusted him with details on other sensitive matters in the last as both a friend and a superior at the bi-state agency...“They lied… when they thought no one was watching...”

Bridget will skate on everything but the wire fraud -- closing a bridge is men's work.


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